Every week we aim to re home an animal currently being cared for by an animal refuge on the island. The project is supported by professional photographers from around the island, the PR firm Phoenix Media, and The Majorca Daily Bulletin.

by petprojectmallorca

When Dogs For U answered a call from a pound to take in a female German Shepherd no one knew that the female had baggage. EIGHT puppies in fact. Once the dog, Kira had been settled in to her new foster home she was taken to the vets where they confirmed that yes, she was indeed pregnant. Her puppies were born on November 4th during a very dramatic storm. Seven of the puppies survived. They have been raised in a foster home in Alcudia by the lovely Angie Cain. Now they are seeking homes. Four have already been successful and there are three puppies left who need families: all girls. If you would like to enquire about adoption then contact Dogs For U on www.dogsforu.org email: kontakt@dogsforu.org or phone: 971 503 832 or 637 242 228

Furry wishes for the New Year

Dear Kindly Human, if you are thinking of inviting a new pet into your home please look in the local rescue centres before splashing out in a pet shop. There are hundreds of us waiting for someone to come along and fall in love – young, old and of all shapes, sizes and species. Here are the addresses and contact details of some of the main centres on the island: Sociedad Protectora de Animales y Plantas, Cami Nou s/n, Palma tel: 971 470060; Son Reus, Camino de Son Reus, Palma Tel: 971 438695; Feliz Animal Andratx Tel: 676366814; Llucmajor Dog Pound, Cami Son Gual; Inca Dog Pound, Carretera Inca-Llubi Km 1.4 Tel: 971 144532; Centro Canino International Tel: 689584371; SOS Animal Calvia Tel: 971 606467; Ben Tractats Campos Tel: 639139680; First Aid Animals Felanitx, Jaime I 76, Tel: 618725166; Pro Animales Mallorca Tel: 636996444.

Dearest Owner, we know you love us with all your heart, but please help us to weight-watch. We have zero will-power so we look to you for help to fight the flab. If we are beginning to bulge please stop giving us treats or titbits from the table. We may look at you with eyes that make us difficult to resist, but it’s so much harder to remove extra kilos once they’ve been put on, than it is to cut down on a few calories before we have a visible problem. We want to be fit and enjoy our lives with you for as many years as possible so please help us to stay healthy by not giving in to our every imploring gaze.

Please let us know what you want. We haven’t got very large brains and we are easily ruled by instincts which can, at times, be unacceptable in a human household. However, most of us can be trained and then we will take great pleasure in pleasing you by behaving as you would like. The younger we are the easier it is to train us, but, even if we are a few years old, some training is possible. There are training classes available in many languages on the island, ask your friends or put a question out on Facebook or AngloInfo so we can train together.

Feeling itchy is horrid. If you see us scratching please don’t delay too long before checking out the source of our discomfort. There have been a monumental number of fleas around this autumn because the weather has been so warm, but we might have ear mites or a fungal infection, dermatitis or a food allergy. Itchy problems can usually be cured by a vet and, although we may not enjoy going, we are so much more comfortable afterwards.

You mean everything t us; you are the centre of our world; you feed us, groom us, care for us and we love you with our whole being. Every time you leave us we miss you, so please don’t leave us alone for too long. We try to understand when you need to go away, but please try and leave us with people who will love us like you do.

There are a number of diseases we need to be protected against. In addition to rabies there’s a horrible disease called Leishmania which affects dogs and is rampant on the island where it is spread by mosquitos. We have no way of reminding you when we should have our injections, and to be honest we might not want to remind you, so in our own interest would you be kind enough to ask the animal doctor when we should visit for our vaccinations and put the date in your diary.

Four legs aren’t always better than two – especially in a car. We can get thrown around very violently even with moderate braking or acceleration so please would you provide us with a seatbelt or a travelling box to ride in, that way we’re not a nuisance and it’s safer for everyone.

Thank you to all the animal loving humans on the island and here’s to a full year of tail-wagging, purring, snuffling and jumping around for joy – Happy 2015

(With thanks to Calvia Vet for their contribution).

Every week Pet Project tries to help or re-house a homeless animal in Majorca. Pet Project is supported by the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the PR business Phoenix Media Mallorca and several professional and amateur photographers around the island. You can get in touch with Pet Project at http://www.petprojectmallorca.com